Egoistic gene

The biological theory of the egoistic gene (in original version) constitutes a handing-over in prospect for the Théorie for the evolution. It is due mainly to Richard Dawkins, which exposed it in a work of the same name published in 1976.

It tends to show that the relevant scale to which the Natural selection applies (or selection of most suited) is the scale of the Gène in the capacity as replicator, and not the scale of the individual nor of the Espèce. Thus, they are not the individuals or the species which are selected according to their more or less large aptitude to reproduce, but well the genes, units basic of information. A possible confusion comes from what, often, l'" intérêt" of a gene coincides with the survival of the individual who carries it, but there are exceptions . In particular, the phenomena of Altruisme between connected individuals, who go against the private interest of the individuals (in the direction of health, safety or the individual reproduction), however help De facto copies of themselves more in other organizations to be retorted (see the article Sélection of parentèle). In the same way, the presence in the Génome of sequences of DNA which are not of any utility for the organization is unexplainable in a vision " classique" evolution, but commonplace from the point of view of the theory of egoistic gene.

The book

The Selfish Gene is a polemical work of Richard Dawkins published in 1976. Stephen Jay Gould, although recognizing qualities of the idea of Dawkins in a bearing article on this book, will however prefer to put the reader keeps some against a restrictive vision which its bad interpretation could give. It will result from it between the two men a light quarrel from school which will remain until the death of Gould.

A chapter of this book introduces the term “Even” which will be at the origin of “Mémétique”, a theory which makes a parallel between the biological evolution and the evolution of the ideas.

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